1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to oral hygiene finger-tip applicators for cleaning the teeth and massaging the gingival tissues in an oral cavity, and more particularly to a blister package for storing an array of such applicators.
2. Status of Prior Art
To maintain oral hygiene and prevent bacterial buildup causing plaque to form on the surface of the teeth which if not removed may result in periodontal disease, the teeth must be cleaned at regular and frequent intervals. And to maintain the gingiva or gums in a healthy condition, the gums must be massaged and stimulated. To promote oral hygiene, it is customary to use a toothbrush for this purpose having a long, rigid plastic handle on the end of which is mounted a set of bristles to which a dentifrice in cream or powder form is applied.
When available, a conventional toothbrush is a satisfactory oral hygiene implement. However, there are many situations in public or private places away from home where a toothbrush and a dentifrice are not available. Thus while it is desirable after dining in a restaurant to then brush the teeth to remove food particles therefrom, it is usually inconvenient for an individual to carry a toothbrush on his person. And it is a common occurrence for travelers and overnight guests to forget to bring along their own toothbrush as well as a tube of toothpaste. Yet one is ill advised to neglect oral hygiene even for a day, particularly after meals.
To make it possible for an individual to carry on his person a disposable and highly compact toothbrush and also a dentifrice sufficient for a single application, the prior art discloses various oral hygiene implements suitable for this purpose.
Thus the U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,113, to Jacobs discloses a dental health tool in the form of a flexible, generally oval strip that is adherable to a fingertip, nylon bristles being mounted on the strip. Deposited on the oval strip between the bristles is a dry dentifrice.
In our above-identified copending patent application there is disclosed a disposable oral hygiene applicator attachable to the ball of a user's fingertip whose finger then functions as an articulated handle by which the applicator may be inserted in the oral cavity and applied omnidirectionally to sweep and clean the teeth and to massage the gingival tissues. The applicator includes a circular flexible base dimensioned to cover mainly the round ball of the fingertip, the underside of the base having a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon. Anchored on the base and projecting upwardly therefrom is a dense array of multi-strand filamentary loops, a viscous dentifrice being entrapped in the loops.
Also disclosed in this copending application is a supply package in a credit card format in which six applicators are stored in individual cells. The package includes a card having an array of holes therein, each forming a cell to accommodate a respective applicator of the group. A metal foil sheet is bonded to the underside of the card to close the cells, and a like array of collapsible domes are joined to the upper side of the card to enclose the respective cells containing the applicators. In use, a selected applicator is released from the card by pressing and collapsing the dome enclosing the applicator to force the applicator to rupture the metal foil sheet and emerge from its cell.
The practical drawback of a supply package in a credit card format of the type disclosed for storing an array of six applicators is that each applicator is not effectively housed in an individual package. Thus when an individual applicator is forced out of the multi-applicator package, the package remains basically unchanged except for the fact that one of the domes is now empty and the foil under this dome is ruptured. Hence the package, when full, takes up the same space as when there is only one applicator left in the package.
If therefore an individual intends to spend a few hours away from home and wishes to take along only a single oral hygiene finger-tip applicator so that he can brush his teeth in a restaurant rest room after dining in that restaurant, he cannot do so with a multi-applicator supply package of the above-described type.